Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union
The Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union, formerly the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community, (Latin: Commissio Episcopatuum Communitatis Europaeae; COMECE) is the association of Catholic Church episcopal conferences in member states of the European Union (EU) which officially represents those episcopal conferences at EU institutions. COMECE holds two meetings of the Plenary Assembly each year, which set out the main lines of its work. The Apostolic Nuncio to the European Communities participates in these meetings. A seminal issue of the European integration process provides the core theme of each meeting.
Commissio Episcopatuum Communitatis Europaeae | |
| Abbreviation | COMECE |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | European Catholic Pastoral Information Service |
| Established | 3 March 1980 |
| Type | Association without lucrative purpose |
| Purpose | Represent episcopal conferences of EU member states at EU institutions |
| Headquarters | Brussels, Belgium |
Region served | European Union |
Membership | Bishops delegated by episcopal conferences of EU member states |
President | Bishop Mariano Crociata |
Main organ | Secretariat |
| Website | comece |
COMECE bishops are delegated by Catholic episcopal conferences in EU member states and has a permanent Secretariat in Brussels, Belgium. It was established in 1980 and replaced the European Catholic Pastoral Information Service (SIPECA, 1976–1980). Discussions during the 1970s about creating an episcopal conferences' liaison organization to the European Community led to the decision, on the eve of the 1979 European Parliament election, to establish COMECE.